Haddonfield edges Haddon Heights

The game meant nothing in terms of standings and the coming playoff seedings.

Just try telling that to the players and coaches.

One of South Jersey's most intense boys' soccer rivalries was renewed Friday, and once again showed that, when Haddonfield meets Haddon Heights, there is always tremendous meaning and passion.

Overcoming a halftime deficit, Haddonfield received second-half goals from Jack Speake and Luke Grabiak to defeat host Heights, 2-1, in a Colonial Conference Liberty Division game with a playoff feel.

Haddonfield is 15-2 overall and 14-1 in the Colonial with a game left against Haddon Township before next week's South Jersey Group 2 playoffs begin.

Heights, the defending Colonial Liberty and South Jersey Group 2 champion, dropped to 11-4-4 overall and finished 9-3-4 in the Colonial.

"It always means something when we play Haddon Heights," said Haddonfield center midfielder Rob Schlitt, who set up his team's first goal. "This is what you play for."

Haddonfield had additional incentive since Heights had won the last three meetings between these rivals, including an earlier 2-0 decision this season.

So there was no thought of holding back even though the Bulldogs had already clinched the division title.

"This is such a strong rivalry and both teams play with a lot of pride," Haddonfield coach Joe Falana said.

It was a tale of two halves, with Heights getting the better of the play in the first 40 minutes.

The Garnets opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Austin McCleery headed a Matt Taylor free kick. It was McCleery's third game back since he missed five weeks with an ankle injury, and his presence will be a major factor for the Garnets in the postseason.

In the second half, Haddonfield was all of a sudden the aggressor. The Bulldogs tied the game in the 42d minute. Schlitt kept a ball in the offensive zone and sent the ball in front of the goal, from where the ever-present Speake tapped it in.

After that, both teams made dangerous runs, but failed to capitalize on crosses through the goalmouth.

Finally, Haddonfield broke the tie when Luke Grabiak headed in a corner kick from Louis Pera in the 65th minute.

"Luke did a great job getting open, and we work a lot on this play," Pera said.

While this was a good tune-up for Haddonfield, it served the same for Haddon Heights.

"This game means everything to us, and they came out more aggressively in the second half and that was key," Heights coach Jeff Eppright said. "But this will get us ready for the tournament."

Heights, seeded third, and top-seeded Haddonfield are in different brackets, so the only way they can meet is in the S.J. Group 2 final. By the way both played Friday, that certainly remains a realistic possibility.

Haddonfield   0 2 – 2

Haddon Heights   1 0 – 1

Goals: H-Jack Speake, Luke Grabiak; HH-Austin McCleery.

Saves: H-Vincent DelDuca 9; HH-Jon Weaver 8.